Miami Beach is seeing crowds “that want to just let loose in ways that are unacceptable,” mayor says
President Biden launches a sales effort Tuesday that he says is critical to convincing Americans that government can make their lives better as the coronavirus pandemic continues to impact the country.
The “Help is Here” road show, which spans the country from coast to coast and includes travel by the first lady, vice president, second gentleman and Cabinet members, is partly designed to claim political credit for the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package that no Republicans voted for but which remains overwhelmingly popular among Americans.
At a small business outside Philadelphia, Biden today will trumpet the economic assistance offered by his administration to help shore up pandemic-addled sectors. Vice President Kamala Harris meanwhile is promoting the law today in Denver, Colorado.
The $1.9 trillion bill also sends billions to state and local governments, expands the child tax credit and delivers direct payments up to $1,400 to individuals.
But he’ll also make the case more broadly that big government, when functioning properly, is a good thing.
“We have to prove to the American people that their government can deliver for them,” Biden said Monday as he explained how the White House planned to roll out the massive new law. “That’s our job,” he said. “That’s our responsibility.”
More on the law’s roll out: Many of the states that administration officials are visiting this week are critical electoral battlegrounds and the law’s popularity among the American people is helping Biden and his surrogates promote the plan to Americans eager for relief.
A smooth rollout of the new law will be essential for maintaining its majority support among Americans. There were positive signs on that front this weekend as direct stimulus payments began hitting Americans’ bank accounts.
But officials say there are still potential hiccups ahead, including administering the expanded child tax credit through the IRS and getting billions of dollars to state and local governments efficiently and without waste.
Biden on Monday named Gene Sperling, a top economic official in previous Democratic administrations, to oversee the implementation efforts.
Here’s a guide of what Americans can expect from the law.